Changes: Jump the Shark

Revision as of 09:43, 3 January 2009

When former Area 51 Man-in-Black Morris Fletcher appears, claiming that a female friend of the Lone Gunmen is actually a super-soldier, Doggett and Reyes attempt to locate her but find that the situation is graver than they first expected.

Summary

SUMMARY

Background Information

Introductory Details

This episode marks the final appearances of Morris Fletcher and the Lone Gunmen.

The phrase "jump the shark" comes from an episode of Happy Days, in which the character Fonzie literally jumped over a shark on water skis. The scene was considered "the end of Happy Days" and the phrase was later adopted to refer to the moment when a series is past its best and begins to go into decline.

This episode concludes the story arc set up in "All About Yves", the final episode of "The Lone Gunmen".

The teaser to this episode consists of Fletcher narrating an introduction to the characters of The Lone Gunmen. This is identical in style to "Dreamland II", in which Fletcher narrates an introduction to Fox Mulder.

There are several sharks seen throughout this episode, most notably immediately following the main opening credits before the camera pans up to find Morris Fletcher in a boat with a woman named Brittany.

The scene in which the Lone Gunmen die is an homage to a scene in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In that movie, the character Spock talked to his commanding officer and friend, Captain Kirk, through a wall of glass while dying. In this episode, Jimmy Bond speaks to the Lone Gunmen through a pane of glass shortly before they die. However, the scene was not in this episode's script and was suggested by the actors while filming.

Although they are billed in the main opening credits, Gillian Anderson and Mitch Pileggi only appear briefly at the end of this episode.

This is one of several episodes to use the character name John Gillnitz.

This episode was included in The Lone Gunmen DVD release.

Locations

Fletcher's boat explodes 20 miles west of Harbor Island, Bahamas.
Fletcher first meets Doggett and Reyes at the US Coastguard base, Miami Beach, Florida.
The two men carrying out the terrorist plot, both work at Hartwell College, Keaney, New Jersey.
The Lone Gunmen are buried at Arlington National Cemetary, Virginia.

Memorable Quotes

Those who fight the good fight, don't always win. - Morris Fletcher
People Like you never managed to grind him down. They never stole his spirit. He never gave in, he never gave up, and he never sold out, right up to his last breath. And he's not dead. Guys like that live forever. - Langly, about Joey Ramone
We never gave up, we never will. In the end, if thats the best they can say about us, it'll do. - Byers
Frohike: Buddy, fight the good fight.

Langly: Both of you.

Byers: Never give up.

- The last lines spoken by The Lone Gunmen

Fletcher: Langly said to me 'the ones who never give up never die.' (beat) I still don't know what that means.

Scully: That means that like everyone buried here the world is a better place for them having been in it. It means that they're gone but they live on through us all.

- The last spoken words at The Lone Gunmen's funeral

Cultural References

Numerous references are once again made to "Men in Black".
Fletcher's UFO blue prints are for the Jupiter II spacecraft, as seen in "Lost in Space".
Fletcher calls Jimmy 'Gomer', presumably a reference to "Gomer Pyle", a distintion also used in "Full Metal Jacket".
Langly gives a speech to Fletcher about his admiration for Joey Ramone.

Nitpicks

Although it is still stated that the offices of The Lone Gunman are located in Takoma Park, the set used is visibly different from the one used previously. Instead of opening out onto an outdoor flight of stairs, the front door now opens to a hallway, obviously inside a building of some kind.

(As mentioned throughout the episode, the Gunmen have faced serious monetary problems and may have merely relocated to a cheaper location. If this is the case, it presumably occurred before Jimmy left to track down Yves, or he would not have known about their secret door.)

Other Episode Notes

Jimmy travelled to Zurich, Malta and Yemen whilst tracking Yves.

Continuity

Jimmy's travels explain his absence from previous episodes in which the Gunmen still appear.

Cast

References

Bermuda Triangle; Template:TXF episode

@@ Line 74: / Line 74: @@
 ===Nitpicks===
-*Although it is still stated that the offices of [[The Lone Gunman]] are located in [[Takoma Park]], The set used is visibly different from the one used previously. Instead of opening out onto an outdoor flight of stairs, the front door now opens to a hallway, obviously inside a building of some kind.
+*Although it is still stated that the offices of [[The Lone Gunman]] are located in [[Takoma Park]], the set used is visibly different from the one used previously. Instead of opening out onto an outdoor flight of stairs, the front door now opens to a hallway, obviously inside a building of some kind.
-:''(As mentioned throughout the episode, the Gunmen have faced serious monitary problems and may have merely relocated to a cheaper location. If this is the case, it presumably occured before Jimmy left to track down Yves, or he would not have known about their secret door.)
+:''(As mentioned throughout the episode, the Gunmen have faced serious monetary problems and may have merely relocated to a cheaper location. If this is the case, it presumably occurred before Jimmy left to track down Yves, or he would not have known about their secret door.)
 ===Other Episode Notes===


Series:	The X-Files
Original Airdate:	04-21-2002
Production Number:	9x15
Date(s):	2002
Written by:	Vince Gilligan, John Shiban and Frank Spotnitz
Directed by:	Clifford Bole